CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on and claims domestic priority benefits under 35 USC §1 19(e) from U.S. Provisional Application Serial Nos. 62/1 1 1 ,447 filed on February 3, 2015 and also claims foreign priority benefits under 35 USC §1 19(a) from GB 1503129.7 filed on February 25, 2015, the entire contents of each such prior filed application being expressly incorporated hereinto by reference.

FIELD

[0002] The embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to integral self-supporting composite refractory modules that may be assembled to form a wall of a refractory structure. According to some embodiments, the modules are formed of multiple refractory blocks integrally bonded together to provide the integral self-supporting composite refractory module. The modules may be assembled in interlocking relationship with one another to form a refractory wall structure.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Several industries employ relatively massive refractory structures formed of refractory bricks of varying sizes and shapes. For example, coke ovens and glass furnaces, including regenerators associated with such furnaces, traditionally comprise massive refractory brick structures having relatively large-scale parallel walls, crown arches and floor arches (typically termed rider arches in art parlance) constructed from a large variety of differently shaped individual refractory bricks. The construction and repair of such refractory structures can be extremely tedious and time consuming due to the individual refractory brick construction thereby resulting in costly downtime and a concomitant economic loss.

[0004] Recently, it has been proposed to provide relatively monolithic refractory components to reduce the number of individual bricks forming the refractory structures and thereby reduce the downtime required to construct and/or repair the refractory structure. See in this regard, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,640,635, 8266,853 and 6,066,236 and copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/1 1 1 ,390 filed February 3, 2015 (Atty. Dkt. No. BHD-6141 -13), the entire contents of each such patent and pending patent application being expressly incorporated hereinto by reference.

[0005] While these prior proposals are satisfactory, continual improvement in the construction and repair/servicing of relatively massive refractory structures (e.g., coke ovens, glass furnaces, forehearths, regenerators and the like) is sought. For example, it would be desirable if integral self-supporting refractory modules could be formed from multiple refractory blocks so that the individual refractory modules could be formed remotely and then transported to the point of use for installation where they could be interlocked together to form the refractory wall structure. This off-site fabrication of the refractory module could in turn produce extensive labor cost savings since individual wall blocks would not need to be assembled on site. It is towards providing such improvement that the embodiments of the invention described herein are directed.

SUMMARY

[0006] In general, the embodiments disclosed herein are directed toward composite refractory modules comprising multiple preformed refractory blocks bonded to one another by a bonding agent to form an integral self-supporting structure having a tooth and channel arrangement for interlocking assembly with a similar adjacently positioned refractory module. According to certain embodiment, the pre-formed refractory blocks are substantially square parallelepipeds formed of a cured refractory material which may be pressed or cast. At least three preformed refractory blocks are bonded to one another in some embodiments to form the module.

[0007] The bonding agent which bonds the multiple refractory members to one another may either be a sacrificial or non-sacrificial bonding agent. According to some embodiments, the bonding agent is a high temperature epoxy adhesive bonding agent.

[0008] A refractory wall section comprising a stacked and end-to- end assembly of plural interlocked refractory modules may thereby be formed. That is, a refractory wall section of a refractory structure can be formed by assembling end-to-end and stacking a plurality of refractory modules according to claim 1 such that the tooth of one module is received within and interlocked with the channel of an adjacent module.

[0009] These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more clear after careful consideration is given to the following detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

[0010] The disclosed embodiments of the present invention will be better and more completely understood by referring to the following detailed description of exemplary non-limiting illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the drawings of which:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a glass furnace regenerator structure with a wall thereof partly exposed showing an assembly of refractory modules in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a refractory foundation wall section formed of refractory modules according to an embodiment of the invention that may be employed in the glass furnace regenerator structure depicted in FIG. 1 ;

[0013] FIGS. 2a-2d are respective refractory base block modules that may be assembled to form the foundation wall section depicted in FIG. 2;

[0014] FIG. 2e-2g are end elevation, top plan and side elevation views, respectively, of the base refractory wall section depicted in FIG. 2;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a refractory wall riser section that may be interconnected one another and with the base wall section of FIG. 2 to form a wall of the glass furnace regenerator structure depicted in FIG. 1 ;

[0016] FIGS. 3a-3d are side elevation, top plan, end elevation and front perspective views, respectively, of a refractory riser block module that may be assembled to form the riser wall section depicted in FIG. 3;

[0017] FIG. 3e is an end elevation view of the riser wall section depicted in FIG. 3;

[0018] FIG. 4 is an exterior perspective view of refractory wall having the wall sections depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 assembled in interlocking relationship with one another;

[0019] FIG. 5 is an interior perspective view of the refractory wall depicted in FIG. 4; and [0020] FIG. 6 is a partly exploded end elevation view of the refractory wall shown in FIG. 4; and

[0021] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the refractory wall shown in FIG. 4 assembled with buck stays associated with a refractory structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Accompanying FIG. 1 schematically depicts a perspective view of a regenerator structure 10 constructed of integral self-supporting composite refractory modules to be described in greater detail below that may be assembled to form side and/or end walls 16, 18 thereof. It will be appreciated that the regenerator structure 10 is used in operative combination with a glass furnace (not shown). The regenerator structure 10 generally depicted in the accompanying FIG. 1 is of a type used for side-fired glass furnaces. However, the attributes of the embodiments of the invention to be described herein are equally applicable to other glass furnace designs, e.g. end-fired glass furnaces, as well as to other refractory structures that may benefit from the advantages of the embodiments of the invention (e.g., coke ovens).

[0023] The top portion of the regenerator structure 10 is capped with a series of adjacently positioned crowns (a representative few of which are noted by reference numeral 40). The walls 16, 18 are structurally supported by external upright structural beams known colloquially as buck stays 20. As is known in the art, the buck stays 20 are compressively held against the walls 16, 18 by means of tie rods (not shown) extending between and interconnecting opposed pairs of buck stays 20 both latitudinally and longitudinally relative to the regenerator structure 10. [0024] The bottom portion of the regenerator structure includes adjacently positioned rider arches 50. The rider arches 50 are thus provided to provide a channel for the ingress/egress of combustion air and gases to/from the regenerator structure 10 and to provide a supporting floor for the checker bricks (not shown) occupying the interior volume of the regenerator structure 10 thereabove.

[0025] The crown arches 40 and the rider arches 50 may be those as described in copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/079,735 filed on November 14, 2014, the entire content of which is expressly incorporated hereinto by reference.

[0026] The refractory structure may be provided with an overhead crane apparatus 60 to position and assemble the modules forming the walls 16, 18 as well as the crown arches 40, the rider arches 50 and the internal checker bricks (not shown) during construction and/or

refurbishment of the regenerator 10. The overhead crane apparatus 60 may be those described more fully in U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Serial Nos. 62/1 1 1 ,275, 62/1 1 1 ,398 and 62/1 1 1 ,24 each filed on February 3, 2015 (corresponding to Atty. Dkt. Nos. BHD-6141 -14, BHD-6141 -15 and BHD 6141 -16, respectively), the entire contents of each such application being expressly incorporated hereinto by reference.

[0027] Accompanying FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of a refractory foundation wall section 100 which is formed of refractory modules according to an embodiment of the invention to be discussed below that may be employed to form a wall 16, 18 of the glass furnace regenerator structure 10 depicted in FIG. 1 . As shown, the foundation wall section 100 is comprised of multiple vertically oriented stacks identified as C1 -C4 in FIG. 2. Each of the stacks C1 -C4 is comprised of multiple individual precast refractory blocks (a representative few of which are identified in FIG. 2 by reference numerals 101 , 102, 103 and 104, respectively). Pairs of the individual precast refractory blocks 101 , 102, 103 and 104, respectively, may be pre-bonded by a suitable bonding agent (e.g., an epoxy adhesive bonding agent) to form integral self-supporting refractory foundation block modules BC1 -BC4 as shown in FIGS. 2a-2d,

respectively. Thus, block modules BC1 -BC4 will be formed of a bonded pair of precast refractory blocks 101 a/102a, 103a/104a, 101 b/102b and 103/b/104b, respectively.

[0028] These pre-assembled refractory block modules BC1 -BC4 may then be further assembled either off-site or on-site with one another to form the base wall 100. That is, it will be seen that each of the block pairs 101 a/102a, 103a/104a, 101 b/102b and 103/b/104b forming the block components BC1 -BC4 are staggered and/or differently sized so as to establish a tooth and channel arrangement to allow the modules BC1 -BC4 to be assembled so that a respective tooth of one of the modules BC1 - BC4 is received within a respective channel of an adjacent one of the modules BC1 -BC4.

[0029] Accompanying FIG. 3 depicts a front perspective view of a refractory riser wall section 200 that may be interconnected with the foundation wall section 100 to form a wall 16, 18 of the glass furnace regenerator structure 10 depicted in FIG. 1 . The riser wall section 200 includes multiple vertically oriented stacks identified as D1 -D3 in FIG. 3e. Each of the stacks D1 -D3 is comprised of multiple individual precast refractory blocks (a representative few of which are identified in FIG. 3 by reference numerals 201 , 202 and 203, respectively). In this regard, the individual precast refractory blocks 201 , 202 and 203, respectively, may be pre-bonded by a suitable bonding agent (e.g., an epoxy adhesive bonding agent) to form a refractory riser block module DC1 as shown in FIGS. 3a-3d. Thus, riser block module DC1 will be formed of a bonded set of precast refractory blocks 201 /202/203 in a staggered relationship as shown to establish a tooth and channel arrangement. By stacking and assembling end-to-end a number of the block modules DC1 , a respective tooth of one of the modules DC1 will be received within a respective channel of an adjacent module DC1 .

[0030] The modules BC1 -BC4 and DC1 forming the base and riser wall sections 100, 200, may be interlocked with one another as described previously to form a wall 16,18 of the refractory structure 10. FIGS. 4-7 thus depict an assembly of the base and rise wall sections 100, 200 forming a side wall 16 of the refractory structure 10. It will be appreciated that the modules BC1 -BC4 and/or DC1 as described previously could be assembled to form an end wall 18 of the refractory structure 10. In this regard, when employed as a side wall 16 of the refractory structure, the refractory blocks 104 will form a pedestal support for the rider arch 50 as shown, e.g., by FIG. 6. Thus, when forming an end wall 18 of the refractory structure 10, such a pedestal support would not be required, in which case the modules DC1 may be stacked and/or assembled end-to- end in interlocking relationship as may be needed.

[0031] In order to improve the structural integrity of the wall 16, a profiled tie plate 300 may be positioned as desired intervals over an upper edge of the assembled modules DC1 as shown in FIG. 7 so as to structurally interconnect a course of the modules DC1 with the buck stays 20.

[0032] As used herein and in the accompanying claims, the term term "block" is intended to refer to a generally large sized solid refractory member that requires mechanical assistance for handling and

manipulation (e.g., via suitable hoists, lifts and the like). More specifically, a "block" as used herein and the accompanying claims is intended to refer to a refractory member whose weight cannot be lifted manually by a single individual in accordance with generally accepted guidelines according to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), e.g., typically an object which weighs more than about 50 pounds. Conversely, as used herein and in the amended claims, the term "brick" refers to a generally small sized solid refractory member that may easily be handled and manipulated by a single individual in accordance with the generally accepted OSHA guidelines, e.g., typically an object weight less than about 50 pounds.

[0033] The refractory "block" employed by the embodiments disclosed herein are most preferably formed of a refractory material (e.g., fused silica) that is mechanically pressed and cured at high temperatures (e.g., up to about 1400 °C) as described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 2,599,236, 2,802,749 and 2,872,328, the entire contents of each such patent being expressly incorporated hereinto by reference. If the refractory "block" is of an exceptionally large size, it may be formed by casting and heat curing a refractory material (e.g., fused silica) as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,277,106 and 5,423,152, the entire contents of each such patent being expressly incorporated hereinto by reference.

[0034] The refractory blocks forming each of the modules BC1 -BC4 and DC1 as described above may be formed of the same or different refractory material. In this regard, the individual blocks forming each of the courses in the module may be formed of a different refractory material so that the thermal properties of the refractory walls 16 and/or 18 can be engineered to meet the heat-transfer requirements of the refractory structure 10. Additionally or alternatively, the refractory material forming the individual refractory blocks of the modules BC1 -BC4 and DC1 may be selected such that the refractory walls 16 and/or 18 exhibit different heat- transfer properties at different vertical locations.

[0035] According to the embodiments disclosed herein, the blocks forming the modules BC1 -BC4 and DC1 are preferably bonded to one another by a suitable sacrificial or non-sacrificial bonding agent, such as an epoxy adhesive bonding agent. By the term "sacrificial bonding agent" is meant to refer to bonding agents that allow the refractory blocks to be bonded to one another to form an integral self-supporting transportable refractory module, but which are consumed or combusted in the high heat (e.g., temperatures of about 1 100 °C to about 1650 °C) during use of the refractory structure 10 in which the component is installed. The individual blocks forming the refractory modules will remain intact when the sacrificial bonding agent is consumed or combusted by virtue of the refractory module design and the structural support provided by other refractory interlocked therewith to form the complete refractory structure. By the term "non-sacrificial bonding agent" is meant a bonding agent that remains intact and is not consumed or combusted at the high

temperatures associated with the refractory structure in which the refractory module is installed.

[0036] As noted above the preferred bonding agent is an epoxy adhesive bonding agent. As noted previously, the epoxy bonding agent may be sacrificial or non-sacrificial.

[0037] The blocks forming the modules BC1 -BC4 and DC1 may be the same or different from one another in terms of refractory composition. In such a manner, therefore, the modules BC1 -BC4 and DC1 may be designed to have different thermal transfer properties and assembled in such a manner so that the thermal transfer properties vary from one location of the refractory wall to another location. In such a manner, therefore, those regions of the refractory wall requiring greater or lesser thermal transfer properties may be provided by suitable compositions of the assembled individual refractory blocks.

[0038] It will be understood that the description provided herein is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments of the invention. Thus, the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various

modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope thereof.